DSM Somos Addresses Impact Testing of SL Resins

By DE Editors

DMX-SLT 100 shot with a .22 caliber bullet.

DSM Somos (Elgin, IL) is working to increase industry awareness around the impact testing of SL resins for the more accurate evaluation of material performance. Spurred by rapid prototyping’s move toward direct manufacturing, the company held live test demonstrations at the recent 2008 3DSUG conference in Costa Mesa, CA. RP users were invited to put various materials to test against Somos’ latest high-impact SL resin, DMX-SLT 100, in Gardner impact tests.

The Gardner impact tester was used to showcase the wide range of impact resistance currently exhibited by today’s RP materials. This testing method (ASTM 5420) allows designers to compare the relative impact resistance of materials under controlled laboratory conditions. According to the press release, the results obtained in Somos’ live demonstrations at the 3DSUG Conference were used only to stimulate industry understanding and discussion of impact strength and how it can be used in the selection of RP materials for either functional testing or direct manufacturing applications.

A total of over twenty different materials were tested at the 3DSUG conference, ranging from 3D printing resins to SL resins to laser sintered resins. Ultimately each material tested was compared to Somos DMX-SLT 100, which exhibited “unprecedented” stiffness/toughness performance.

Based upon a chemistry platform that produces a stiffness/toughness combination, DMX-SL 100 is an SL resin designed for high durability applications. It is said to demonstrate the “stiffness of standard ABS-type resins but with more than twice the impact strength.” For more information about DMX-SL, as well as video footage of the live test demonstrations held at the 3DSUG conference, visit www.dsmsomos.com. More information about the impact testing of SL materials can also be found online in Somos’ April 2008 newsletter, "The Part We Play."

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.